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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22411555">August, 2021</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Untoward/pseuds/Untoward'>Untoward</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Time is Nothing [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>EastEnders (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Time Travel, Time Traveller's Wife au</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-01-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-01-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-04-28 14:21:34</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,782</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22411555</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Untoward/pseuds/Untoward</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“We’ll be ready in 10 minutes!” He shouts towards the door, and then goes to open the window. “Took your time, didn’t ya?” </p><p>Ben doesn’t say anything, he just goes straight for the suit that was laid out on the bed and starts to get dressed. </p><p>“What year are you from, anyway? Your grey hairs aren’t exactly discreet.”</p><p>“At least I’m not bald in the future, unlike some people.” Ben says with a smirk, and Jay frowns, his hand going up to touch his hair.</p><p>“Really? I’m bald?” </p><p>“I don’t have time to comfort ya Jay I have to marry my husband,” Ben pauses at that, his eyes furrowing in confusion at his own statement. “again.”</p><p>or </p><p>Time Traveller's Wife AU</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Callum "Halfway" Highway/Ben Mitchell</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Time is Nothing [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1589713</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>37</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>August, 2021</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>Callum is 30 and 12, Ben is 27 and 40</em>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“Is he almost ready?” Jay heard Whitney ask through the door, her voice filled with concern.</p><p>“Fuck,” Jay whispered to himself, before speaking loud enough so Whitney could hear him. “Yeah, we just couldn’t find his tie, but we found it now! Just getting ready.”</p><p>It was silent for a few moments, only the sound of Whitney’s heels clicking against the hardwood floor as she nervously shifted from one foot to the other, before she spoke up again.</p><p>“He said he understands,” She took in a deep breath before continuing. “He said, if what he thinks has happened has actually happened, then they don’t need to get married today. It’s hard, but he really does understand.”</p><p>Jay looks around the room, as if he looks hard enough Ben will just appear in front of him and he doesn’t have to face a heartbroken Callum. It’s moments like these where Jay is shocked that Ben has been able to hold someone down for as long as he has. He remembers when they were younger, and after Paul he didn’t think that Ben would even want to look at another man for longer than a night. He remembered a string of one-night stands and hook ups and the toll they took on Ben. But no matter how hard Jay or Lola tried to talk to him about it, about finding someone to settle down with he would always say the same thing.</p><p>
  <em>“Who would have the patience to deal with my bullshit condition?” </em>
</p><p>They didn’t think Callum would come into Ben’s life and be as loving and understanding as he was. How they seemed to just <em>click</em>. Ben tried to self-sabotage a lot in the beginning, but Callum’s grown up with him, he knows how Ben could act and as soon as Ben realised he wasn’t going anywhere, he let himself relax, let himself be happy. Well, as happy as they can be. Ben’s condition and criminal activities has tested the strength of their relationship numerous times, but it would never get the best of them.</p><p>He just wished his condition could disappear for a day, for his brother to finally marry the love of his life with no interruptions and be happy. Sadly, that’s not how it works.</p><p>“Whit…” Jay say’s, his voice quiet and soft. He knew what had to be done, there was no telling how long Ben could be gone for, and he didn’t want to prolong Callum’s pain.</p><p>“Yeah, Jay?”</p><p>He takes in a deep breath, but before he can open his mouth, he hears a loud knock coming from the window behind him. He turns around to find an older looking Ben, naked and he lets out a sigh of relief.</p><p>“We’ll be ready in 10 minutes!” He shouts towards the door, and then goes to open the window. “Took your time, didn’t ya?”</p><p>Ben doesn’t say anything, he just goes straight for the suit that was laid out on the bed and starts to get dressed.</p><p>“What year are you from, anyway? Your grey hairs aren’t exactly discreet.”</p><p>“At least I’m not bald in the future, unlike some people.” Ben says with a smirk, and Jay frowns, his hand going up to touch his hair.</p><p>“Really? I’m bald?”</p><p>“I don’t have time to comfort ya, Jay. I have to marry my husband,” Ben pauses at that, his eyes furrowing in confusion at his own statement. “again.”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>//</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Ben hooks his arm through his mum’s as he walks down the aisle, looking at the back of Callum’s head. Callum won’t look back; Ben can tell he’s nervous by the fact that he keeps on shifting on the spot.</p><p>He can’t help but smile at the fact that he finally gets to experience his marriage for the first time. He has beaten himself up for years for missing it, even though Callum always comforted him, saying it wasn’t his fault and that he’ll get to experience it one day. Today was the day he get's to experience it, the day he gets to be here for Callum.</p><p>Callum finally turned around when Ben and his mum got to the top of the aisle and he let out a smile, but soon his eyebrows furrowed when he realised this wasn’t his Ben and the smile was replaced with a smirk. Ben smirked back.</p><p>When Ben turned to his mother, he felt his eyes go a bit glassy and he quickly pulled her into a hug. He felt her jerk a little in shock but hugged him back tightly. Ben took in a deep breath, trying to commit her to his memory. He kissed her cheek and whispered in her ear. “I love ya, mum.”</p><p>Kathy quickly started to run her hand through his hair. “I love you too,” she kissed his cheek and looked over at Callum. “Now, go and marry that boy.”</p><p>Ben looks back at Callum and walks towards him, taking his hands and quickly and squeezing them tightly. Ben hears some murmurs about how his hair had suddenly gone grey, but he wasn’t listening. He was too busy beaming at Callum.</p><p>“What the hell?” Callum whispered to him, his smile growing larger as he looked across Ben’s face. Ben knew that he was looking at a familiar face from his childhood and that’s why he was smiling so much.</p><p>“Don’t swear, baby, it’s our wedding day.” Ben say’s cheekily, gently rubbing circles into he back of his hand.</p><p>Callum looked at him in disbelief, but the smile was still very much present. They both looked towards the registrar, smiles wide on their faces and Ben felt Callum squeeze his hand tighter, almost scared to let him go.</p><p> </p><p>//</p><p> </p><p>Callum chugged down the last of his beer, sighing heavily. His elbows hit the table, and he ran his hands through his hair, letting it get messy.</p><p>He looked at the friends and family that were around him, looked at everyone laughing, talking enjoying <em>his</em> wedding day. He couldn’t help but feel a little envious. He was supposed to be enjoying it to, with his husband. His <em>husband</em>. His husband that wasn’t here.</p><p>“Excuse me,” Stuart said into the microphone and Callum looked towards him to see him stood on the empty dance floor. “I’d now like to invite my amazing little brother and my…” Callum saw him take in a deep breath, his nose flaring a little. “Interesting brother in law up for their first dance as a married couple.”</p><p>Callum turned to look at the seat beside him, a sad smile setting on his face when he was reminded that he was alone on his wedding day. Callum couldn’t blame Ben for disappearing straight after the ceremony, it wasn’t his fault. Callum knew he would be here if he could, it was his day as well, after all.</p><p>Callum forced himself to look back to the dance floor, looking for an excuse as to why Ben wasn’t here when Callum saw him. He was standing in the middle of a dance floor, a ghost of a smile on his lips, but it didn’t reach his eyes and Callum recognised him as his Ben. The Ben he laughs and lives and eats with.</p><p>His smile grows when the band starts playing and he gets up quickly, jogging to the dance floor and throwing his hands around Ben’s waist, pulling him incredibly close. “Hey, stranger.” Callum said, teasingly. Ben tries to let out a smile at the joke, but it quickly disappears, and he puts his hands around Callum’s neck.</p><p>“I’m sorry,” Ben says with glassy eyes and so much sincerity it makes Callum’s heart hurt “I’m sorry I couldn’t be there.”</p><p>“Hey,” Callum whispers back, taking one of his hands away from his waist and resting it against his cheek. “Don’t apologise, ya were there.”</p><p>Ben sighs and leans his head into Callum’s hand, looking for comfort. “Do you,” Ben takes in a shaky breath. “Do ya wish I was him?”</p><p>Callum shook his head quickly, putting his hand back on Ben’s waist and pulling him so close that Ben’s chest hits his. Callum knew that Ben struggled with this a lot. Ben thinks that Callum has this idea of who he is in his head, a different him that Callum has known since he was six. What Ben didn’t realise is, they were the same person.</p><p>Callum let his forehead rest on Ben’s, giving him a quick, gentle peck on the lips before saying, “But you are.”</p><p>Ben grins, accepting his answer and rests his head on Callum’s shoulder. Callum kisses his forehead before taking in a deep breath. “I wonder if I’m a bigamist.”</p><p>Ben let’s out a hearty chuckle. “I think you’re allowed to marry the same person as many times as you want.”</p><p> </p><p>//</p><p> </p><p>Callum carries Ben into the hotel room, his forearm hooked under his knees, the other hand on Ben’s back. Callum looks down at Ben and starts to laugh, for no reason. He’s just happy to be around him, to be around him for the rest of his life.</p><p>Callum stops laughing when he looks around the room and Ben looks around the room too, his laughter also stopping when he sees it. The room has the most beautiful four poster bed and Callum looks down at Ben with a serious face, knowing exactly what he wanted to do.</p><p>They didn’t waste any time getting on the bed, not bothering to take they’re suits off. They both jumped up and down on the bed, giggling at each other like they were kids.</p><p>Callum throws himself down onto the pillows, looking up at Ben. Ben smirks down at Callum, jumping up and down a couple of times before looking like he was going to jump on him.</p><p>He lets out a laugh before covering his face with his arms. “Ben, no!” He say quickly, but he waited in anticipation to feel Ben’s weight on him but it never came.</p><p>He heard the jingle of Ben’s belt, and he felt the weight of his clothes and Callum quickly looked up, his heart sinking.</p><p>“Ben?” He asked in a small voice, but he wasn’t there anymore. Callum looked around to find Ben’s suit on the bed. Callum reached out and grabbed Ben’s blazer, bringing it to his nose and inhaling his scent. His knuckles turned white as he gripped tighter, as if it would make Ben come back somehow. Callum felt a tear slide down his cheek, but he wiped it away furiously, refusing to be sad about something he has had lived through all his life, something neither of them can change. Callum took Ben’s wedding ring that was resting on the bed and put it on his left ring finger, so it was resting on top of his own and fell back onto the pillows.</p><p>He hoped he was back soon.</p><p> </p><p>//</p><p> </p><p>Ben looked around frantically, looking around to find himself in someones garden. He was about to make his way over the fence when he looked down to see neatly folded clothes on a log and he smiled when he realised, he wasn’t in just any garden, but in <em>Callum’s</em> garden.</p><p>He quickly put the clothes on and made his way towards the middle of the garden to find a 12-year-old Callum. He was sat in the middle of the blanket, a book in his lap. Callum looked up and gave Ben a large smile, waving him over.</p><p>Ben smiled, sitting down on the blanket. “Hey, Callum.”</p><p>“Hey, Ben.” Callum said excitedly and Ben smiled at how happy Callum was to see him, his heart swelling. “I bought you some leek and potato soup, I made it myself.”</p><p>He pushed the tupperware towards Ben and he took it in his hands, sipping it before smiling at Callum.</p><p>“It’s really good, Callum.” Ben says before taking another sip.</p><p>“Ya think so?” Callum all but screamed, “I want to be a chief when I’m older.”</p><p>“Well, I think you definitely have potential.” Ben says. Finding it really hard to not tell Callum that his dream will come true.</p><p>“Ben?” Callum asks, his voice filled with curiosity. “Are you a real person?”</p><p>“Yes,” Ben said with a chuckle “What else would I be?”</p><p>Callum shrugs “Maybe you’re an alien?”</p><p>“No, not an alien, I’m a real person.” Ben nods his head before adding. “Who time travels.”</p><p>“And ya know me,” Callum says with a smile. “When I’m grown up.”</p><p>Ben says nothing, he just nods his head.</p><p>“Am I married?” Callum asks with a smile.</p><p>“I can’t tell ya that.” Ben says with a shake of his head.</p><p>Callum sighs in frustration. “Why not? You never tell me anything!” Callum looks down at the book in his lap before pushing it off and moving closer to Ben. “Do you know when you’ll die?”</p><p>“Hey, now.” Ben says sternly, before putting down the soup.</p><p>“It’s not fair that you know everything about me, and I know nothing about you!”</p><p>“Well, what do you want to know?” Ben said, willing to tell Callum something.</p><p>Callum suddenly goes quiet, scratching his hair before looking up at Ben. “Are you married?”</p><p>Ben smiles gently, the memories of earlier filling his head and suddenly an overwhelming feeling of sadness in his chest thinking about Callum. <em>His</em> Callum, back in the hotel room, sleeping all alone on their goddamned wedding night. He tries to push those thoughts to the back of his head.</p><p>“Yes.”</p><p>“Is your a husband a time traveller too?”</p><p>Ben laughs. “No, thank God, he’s a very beautiful, kind, compassionate man.”</p><p>Callum looks at him with sad eyes. “Does he worry about ya?”</p><p>Ben’s face drops and he nods slowly. “Yes, he does.”</p><p>Callum is now looking down at the blanket, playing with some loose thread. He doesn’t look very happy, a small frown playing on his lips. “Do you love him?”</p><p>“Yes,” Ben nods his head “Very much.”</p><p>Callum says nothing, just continues to play with the thread of the blanket. Ben looks at Callum’s face and he sees a small tear going down his cheek. Ben’s heart clenches, feeling responsible.</p><p>“Callum, what’s wrong?” Ben asks in a worried tone.</p><p>He shakes his head quickly. “Nothing.”</p><p>Ben placed his hand on Callum’s shoulder. “You can tell me anything, you know that, right?”</p><p>Callum takes in a shaky breath. “It’s just that…” Callum trails off nervously. “I was hoping that maybe, you would be married to me.”</p><p>Callum says it in a whisper, but Ben hears. He wishes he could comfort him and tell him that it was him, but he doesn’t.</p><p> </p><p>//</p><p> </p><p>When Ben came back to the hotel room, he didn’t bother putting his clothes on. He walked out of the bathroom and towards the bed to see Callum already asleep. Ben let out a sad smile, upset that he didn’t get to spend his wedding night with his husband in the way he wanted too.</p><p>He walked towards the bed, picking up the remote that was on the bedside table and turned off the TV before climbing into the bed. Ben put his legs around Callum’s waist and rested his head on his shoulder, kissing Callum’s chest.</p><p>Callum woke up to the feeling of Ben’s body on his and slowly blinked his eyes open. He looked down at Ben and gave him a lazy smile when he realised he was back and kissed his forehead, and then cheek and then gave him a quick kiss on the lips.</p><p>“I was there,” Ben whispered against Callum’s lips, afraid they will be pulled out of their bubble if he speaks any louder. “with you, in the garden.”</p><p>Callum brought his hand up and slowly stroked Ben’s cheek. “Really?”</p><p>Ben nodded before letting out a chuckle, moving his head closer to Callum’s. Ben saw Callum’s eyebrows furrow in confusion.</p><p>“You were jealous of my husband.” Ben said and let out another laugh. Callum’s cheeks went bright red, remembering the way he hated Ben’s husband.</p><p>“I was,” Callum said honestly, chuckling a little “I always imagined him with warts all over his face and the worst hair.”</p><p>They both laughed for a while, but soon they went quiet. Ben rolled over, so Callum was on his back and Ben ways laying on top of him. Ben ran his fingers through Callum’s hair, Callum looked up at him, and his face suddenly became serious.</p><p>“Are we going to be able to do this?”</p><p>Ben smiled, placing both his hands on Callum’s cheeks. “Yes,” Ben says, placing a chaste kiss on Callum’s lips, “Yes, baby.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thank you for reading! You can find me on tumblr at <a href="https://babygaycal.tumblr.com/">babygaycal</a></p><p>Here's another part! Thank you for reading, I love hearing from you so let me know what you think!! And if I should carry on?</p></blockquote></div></div>
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